Iraq
Protesters take to Baghdad streets over new customs tariffs
Protesters argued the policy has instead slowed trade, creating congestion at Umm Qasr port and prompting some importers to consider routing goods through the Kurdistan region, where fees are lower.
Iraq faces renewed security concerns as ISIS detainees are transferred from Syria - analysis
Missile barrages and cyber operations: Iran outlines multi-front war plan against US - report
Paris court dismisses Jewish family's compensation claim against government for not paying rent
US fighter jet downs Iranian drone near aircraft carrier, gunboats approach US-flagged tanker
Iranian Shahed-139 drone shot down by F-35 jet over Arabian Sea • In separate incident, six Iranian gunboats approach US-flagged oil tanker in Strait of Hormuz
Kurds in Iraq are powerbrokers in Iraq’s politics, but do they benefit? - analysis
Iraqi Shi’ite leaders arrived in Erbil for talks with Kurdish officials as political deadlock deepens over appointing a new president and prime minister.
Trump’s Maliki message underscores Iraq’s growing strategic risk, won't back him as PM - analysis
Maliki was last in charge in 2014, when ISIS took over part of Iraq. He spent years in the wilderness before returning to the spotlight.
BLA attacks expose growing instability in Pakistan’s restive Balochistan region - analysis
The BLA attacks may prove to be yet another incident in the long conflict in Balochistan. However, it could also play into larger questions about how restive the Baloch region has become.
US special envoy for Iraq Mark Savaya no longer in the post, sources say
The move comes amid growing tensions between Washington and Baghdad over Washington's push to curb Iranian influence in Iraqi politics.
Iranian-backed militias in Iraq declare support for regime in case of war against US
Akram al-Kaabi, a leader of paramilitary forces in Iraq, verbally attacked Trump and his Iraq envoy, saying that repeated violations of sovereignty would not be tolerated.
Trump intervenes in Iraq politics, warns Maliki comeback could repeat past mistakes
He was ousted in 2014 as Iraq fell into chaos, but has spent the last decade regaining power, recently winning support from key Shi’ite factions.
Trump says US won't help Iraq if it picks Maliki as prime minister
In a post on Truth Social, Trump warned that reinstalling Nouri al-Maliki would be a "very bad choice" for Iraq.
ISIS numbers grow as Syrian instability continues, Iraq warns
In the rare interview, al-Shatri said Iraqi intelligence estimates suggest that ISIS’s presence in Syria has grown from roughly 2,000 fighters a year ago to as many as 10,000 terrorists today.
Kataib Hezbollah calls on supporters to prepare for conflict with Israel
The statement is the latest example of how Iranian-backed militias in Iraq are continuing to threaten Israel, the US, and the region.